Are you looking for a restaurant in Kobe loved by locals?
Do you crave a special dining experience in a retro atmosphere?
Then Merican, a long-established steakhouse in Kobe’s Motomachi district, is the perfect place for you!
This article provides a detailed introduction to the Western-style cuisine you can savor in a Showa-era retro setting, complete with photos and reviews.
We’ve included helpful information for first-time visitors, such as access details and how busy it gets.
After reading this, you’ll surely be thinking, “My next day off has to be at Merican!”
This article is recommended for:
Those looking for a fail-safe restaurant for anniversaries or dates.
Those searching for delicious Kobe beef restaurants.
Those wanting to spend a special time in a retro ambiance.
Merican’s Basic Information
Access & Details
Just a 1-minute walk from Hankyu Hanakuma Station! Step into Merican, a place that feels like a scene from a movie.
Restaurant Name: Merican
Address: 5-3-16 Motomachidori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Prefecture
Business Hours:
Weekdays: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM / 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Weekends & Holidays: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM / 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Closed: Open daily
Nearby Landmark: Located along a retro street in the arcade.
Payment Methods: Cash, Credit Cards (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners), Electronic Money (iD), QR Code Payment (PayPay, d払い)
Added Information for International Visitors:
Photo Menu: △ photos are available on the restaurant’s signage and online.
English Menu: ✅The menu has English translations.
Payment Methods: ✅Credit cards are accepted.
English Speaking Staff: △During my visit, there were about two groups of English speakers. The staff was able to communicate in English.
How Busy It Gets & Recommended Visiting Times
Merican tends to be crowded at all times.
We recommend making a reservation, as people have been turned away at night without one.
Recommended Visiting Times:
Weekdays: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM / 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Weekends & Holidays: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM / 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
The restaurant has 34 seats and also offers private rooms for 10-20 people.
Private bookings are also available, making it perfect for banquets and anniversaries.
The Main Reason for Visiting: The Crab Cream Croquette
While looking for a restaurant for dinner on the food log, I happened to find this restaurant
Looking at the menu, I saw crab cream croquettes!
It’s my favorite menu item, so I visited the restaurant completely for it
Restaurant Atmosphere
I visited on a September evening.
The restaurant is located in a retro arcade.
The wooden sign written in katakana gives it a nostalgic feel.
It’s a wonderful place that evokes images of old-fashioned cafes and Western-style restaurants.
The interior has an American feel, yet is also somewhat pastoral and warm.
Wooden furniture and decorations, warm lighting, and attention to detail in the small items create a unique atmosphere.
The walls are beige, the furniture is brown, and the tablecloths are white, creating an overall calm and unified color scheme.
Recommended Menu Items
We visited as a group and ordered set menus that included soup, salad, and either bread or rice.
First, let me introduce the soup and bread that are always included in the set.
Onion Soup
The soup was brought to us shortly after ordering.
I was immediately drawn to the distinctive bowl.
The white ceramic bowl has a rounded shape and a tapered bottom.
It has no handle, but instead features a stylish lion’s head relief.
The soup seems to change depending on the season.
When I went, it was “Onion Soup.”
The sweetness and umami of the sautéed onions are condensed.
The soup itself has a smooth texture.
The ingredients were cooked until tender.
Bread
Next came the bread and butter.
The butter dish is cute
The bread has fine cracks on the surface, making me anticipate a crispy texture.
The outside has a crispy texture, while the inside is fluffy and soft, like a typical table roll.
It has a hint of sweetness and is delicious even on its own.
Spreading butter on it made it even more moist.
Kobe Steak
While we were talking and eating the bread, the order of one of my companions arrived first.
On the right is Kobe Steak.
It seems they ordered rice instead of bread.
The surface is nicely browned, while the inside has a beautiful rare finish.
I had a bite.
The meat fibers are fine, and it’s incredibly tender!
You can enjoy the contrast between the crispy outside and the very tender inside.
It had a good amount of marbling and was juicy.
Three types of sauces were available, allowing you to enjoy various flavor changes.
There was rock salt, a soy sauce-like sauce, and one more.
I ate it with rock salt and was able to enjoy the original flavor of the meat.
It was served with plenty of salad, making for a well-balanced meal.
Beef Cutlet (Bifukatsu)
A thick cutlet!
It’s covered in plenty of sauce, and the glistening appearance is appetizing.
I also had a bite of this.
The batter has a crispy texture, and the inside is packed with juicy meat flavor.
The fine batter ensured good oil drainage, resulting in a crispy texture.
The sauce has a well-balanced sweetness and acidity, enhancing the flavor of the meat perfectly.
It was served piping hot.
Because it was covered in too much sauce, the crispiness of the batter was slightly reduced towards the end.
But I was happy that I could eat the remaining sauce with bread.
Crab Cream Croquette
I ordered the Crab Cream Croquette.
Two types of sauce were drizzled over the croquette, making it look very appetizing.
The batter has a crispy texture, and the inside is filled with hot and creamy sauce.
The crab flavor is rich and goes well with the creamy sauce.
The tomato-based sauce neutralized the richness of the croquette.
It was served piping hot, so it was a little difficult to eat, but it was very delicious.
The salad included lettuce, purple cabbage, and carrots.
It was a colorful and visually appealing salad.
The dressing had a refreshing acidity that paired perfectly with the croquette.
Who/What Occasion is Merican Perfect For?
Couples who want to enjoy a special dinner.
Groups who want to enjoy a meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
People who like retro atmospheres.
It’s perfect for a special anniversary date once a year.
When I went, the couple next to us seemed to be celebrating an anniversary.
It was very lovely.
If you bring someone there, they’ll surely say, “You have good taste!”
Merican’s Unique Charm
Merican’s nostalgic atmosphere is its greatest charm.
The retro interior, the warm wooden tables and chairs, and the soft lighting give visitors a sense of nostalgia.
Of course, it’s not just about the atmosphere; the food is also appealing.
Especially the meat dishes, you can tell that they are cooked while maximizing the quality of the ingredients.
Summary
Merican is a place where you can enjoy delicious food surrounded by a retro atmosphere.
If you have the chance, please visit and experience its charm for yourself.
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